Clutch mechanism for button-attaching machines.



v "*"F-rn. WHITE. CLUTCH MECHANISM FOR BUTTON REACHING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED JAN.26. 915- Paten 49 '39 Z I 49 if 22/ 25 7w 1! |e3J6 l E 2/5/ -26 J0 J0 q 5 41 I J 19 2 J WITNESSES ATTORNENM separatelyengage FRANKLIN R. WHITE, 01 WATEBBURY, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR T0 EATENTBUTTO COMPANY OF WATERIBURY, CONNECTICUT, A

CORPORATION OF CONNECTICUT.

CLUTCH MECHANISM FOR BUTTON-ATTACHING MACHINES.

Patented Feb. 19, 191%.

Application filed January 26, 1915. Serial No. 4,453.

, To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANKLIN R. WHITE, a citizen of the United States,and a resident of Waterbury, in the county of New Haven and State ofConnecticut, have made and invented certain new and useful Improvementsin Clutch Mechanism for Button-Attaching Machines, of which thefollowing is a specification.

This invention relates to a clutch mechanism for button attachingmachines, the object beingto provide a clutch mechanism which is ofsimple and compact nature and therefore especially adapted for that typeof machine which includes two separate and complete apparatus forsecuring buttons mounted on 'a single stand and spaced a slight distanceapart so as to be easily and readily accessible by a single operator.

A further object is to provide a clutch or driving mechanism for buttonattaching machines wherein a single balance wheel is used for two buttonattaching machines, the clutch being so arranged and designed as to bothsides of the belt driven balance wheel and actuate either of the saidbutton attaching machines.

A further object is to provide a double roller clutch mechanism whereinthg said clutches are formed as right and left handed ones and adaptedto engage the respective sides of a single balance wheel, thus allowinga single balance wheel to perform its functions in connection witheither of two complete button attaching machines which are mounted upona single stand and so spaced as to be easily accessible by a singleoperator who is seated in front of the stand.

In the design of a button attaching machine it is to be noted that twodifferent but standard sizes of buttons are ordinarily used upon asingle garment, and it is essential that the machines for attaching thebuttons be mounted upon a single stand, and spaced a slight distanceapart so as to be readily accessible by a single operator, andfurthermore that the control of the machine be by means of pedals spaceda slight distance apart so as to be conveniently operated by the twofeet of an operator. With this in view, the clutch mechanism hereindisclosed has been designed and contains certain novel advantages andfunctions when arranged in such relation and when acting in suchcapacity. Such and other advantages and objects will appear as thedescription proceeds, wherein it is to be understood that changes in theprecise embodiment of the invention can be made within the scope of whatis claimed, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

lhe preferred embodiment of my invention is disclosed in theaccompanying drawings, wherein Figure 1 is a view in longitudinalsection of my improved button machine driving mechanism or clutch;

Fig. 2 is a fragmental view in section, taken on the line 44 of Fig. 1,

Fig. 3 is a similar view showlng the arrangement of parts after thepedal has been depressed and the clutch is in engagement;

Fig. 4 is a view in perspective of the roller cage of, the clutch;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged view illustrating the depressions within thedriven member of the left hand clutch and into which the rollers areadapted to seat as the clutch is moved to its inoperative position;

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 5 illustratin the right hand clutchmember.

eferring specifically to the several views, wherein similar referencenumerals designate corresponding parts throughout, the clutch mechanismherein disclosed, although capable of various usage is particularlyapplicable to automatic button attaching machines and for this reasonis, in the present drawings, illustrated as being operatively connectedwith and adapted to impart intermittent reciprocatory movement to twoconnecting rods 63, the upper ends of which are operatively connectedwith two separate and independent button attaching machines; the clutchmechanism being controlled by means of two treadles or equivalentfoot-operated members actin through suitable rods and controlling memers or triggers (one only of which rods and triggers, however, is shown,at 61 and 43 in the drawings), to control the clutch mechanism andsecure the operation of the button attaching machines, by powertransmitted from the main driven or balance wheel 18 through the clutchmechanism and the connecting rods 63 to the said attaching machines.

Projecting from a supporting stand whereby the button attaching machinesare supported are the spaced brackets 15-15, which are provided,adjacent their outer extremities with the bearings 1616. A shaft 17extends through and beyond thesaid bearings and although not in directcontact therewith, is rotatably. sup orted thereby. A balance wheel 18is rotata ly mounted upon the shaft 17, and has its hub 19 provided witha bushing 20 so as to secure the smooth and substantially frictionlessrotation thereof. The hub of the balance wheel is protral openin 25,receiving the shaft 17 therea through. he clutch member 24 is providedwith the cylindrical'bearing portion 26 which extends through and issupported by the bearing 16, beyond which it extends and upontheprotruding portion of which is mounted the crank arm 27. The crankarm may be formed integral with the cylindrical bearing portion 26 ofthe clutch member,

- should it be so desired, due provision being made for the assemblageof the various parts by reason of the bearing 16. A set screw 28projects through the crank arm and bearing portion'of the clutch member24 and engages the shaft 17 so as to hold the same against shifting, theclutch member 24 being also held against shifting by the crank arm 27and the enlarged portion 29 of the clutch member the same being arrangedupon oposite sides of the bearing 16 and. accordmgly held thereby.

The inner extremity of the clutch member 24 is reduced as at 30 and ispreferably provided with the wearing ring 31 formed of some hard andsuitable metal and is positioned within and concentric of the wearingring22 with which it co-acts, as presently described. The clutch member24 is provided with the reduced intermediate portion 32 upon which isrotatably mounted a roller cage or guide. 33. This roller cage or guideis formed with the annular ring 34 resting upon the reduced intermediateportion 32 of the clutch member and bearing against a vertical ledgethereof. The ring 34 is held against shifting in the opposite directionby reason of its contact with the wearing-ring 22 of the balance wheelhub. The ring 34 is provided with the axially extending annular flange35, of such thickness and diameter as to fit between the inner surfaceof the hub opening as defined by the inner surface of the wearing ring22 and the outer surface of the clutch member 24,

the latter being preferably provided with the wearing ring 31, althoughit is to be noted in this connection that the wearing to which "it isnecessaril exposed. I heannular flange 35 is provi ed at definiteintervals with the slots'36, adapted to receive the rollers 37 therein,the same being slightly larger in diameter than the spacing between theinner and outer surfaces of-the concentric wearing rings '2231 andnormally received-withm suitable depressions 37 formed in the wearingring. 31. Each ofthese depressions 37 is provided with the abruptlyterminatin end38 and the gradually merging or sloplng end 39, thesloping face 39 being in back of the abruptly terminating face 38considered with respect to the anti-clockwise direction of rotation ofthe balance wheel and clutch member as shown in Fig. 5 of the drawings.

The roller clutch as thus constituted is adapted to forcibly drive theclutch member 24 and crank arm 27 from the balance wheel when therollers are wedgedly forced between the slanting faces 39 of thedepressions and the inner surface of the wearing ring 22. In order tocontrol the position of the rollers and therefore provide for theengagement and disengagement of the clutch mechanism, the roller cage orguide is provided with the peripheral lug 40 to which a tension spring41 is secured, the remote end being secured to an intermediateperipheral portion of the clutch member 24., The spring is thus adaptedto normally hold the roller guide or cage in such position that thevarious rollers Wlll be seated within the depressions 37 and thereforeout of wedged contact with the balance wheel and clutch member 24,allowing for the free rotation of the balance wheel as will be readilyappreciated. The lug 40 which projects from the outer surface of theroller cage is provided with the radial surface of ledge 42 whichco-acts with a releasing lever or trigger 43,

the latter being pivoted at its remote end by the pin or bolt 44 andhaving its opposite end somewhat enlarged as at 45 and arranged in the.path of motion of the radial face 42 of the lug. A tension spring 46 issecured to the bracket 15 and engages the trigger 43 so as to hold thesame with the free end 45 in I the path of motion of the lug or stop 40of essence to and moved out of the depression 37 and into wedgedengagement with the inner surface of the wearing ring 22 and against'theinclined faces 39 of the depression, resulting in the wedged engagement,and transmission of power, between the balance wheel, the rollers andthe clutch member. The clutch member 24: will therefore be rotatedb thebalance wheel, resulting in the correspon 'ng rotation of the crank arm27 and the actuation of parts connected thereto. The crank arm willcontinue to rotate until such time as the trigger 43 is allowed toreturn to its normal osition by the action of the spring d7, at w ichtime, the end 45 will again return in the path of motion of the stop 40upon the roller cage, which coming into contact therewith, forciblymoves the rollers out of wedged engagement between the wearing rings,allowing them to drop into a seate position within the depressions 37*,the momentum of the clutch member being suflicient to return the rollersto such position, while the rollers are prevented from coming intowedged engagement with the opposite abrupt faces 38 of the depressionsin the wearing ring 31, by reason of the direction of rotation of thering 22, as will be readily apparent.

In order to prevent the excessive oscillation of the clutch member 2a,after it has been freed from the balance wheel by the depositing of therollers within the depression, a friction brake 1-9 is provided and emcompasses the enlarged portion 29 of the clutch member, the same beingprovided with the brake engageable surface 50 therefor, as is usual inclutch mechanisms and the details of which bralizeneed not be hereinfurther illustrated or described.

second clutch member 56, provided with opening 5? extendingtherethrough, is mounted upon the shaft 17 and extending b tween theremote side of the balance wheel and the adjacent bearing 16. Thisclutch member is substantially identical with the clutch member 24previously described, with the exception however, that the wearing ring58, which is mounted upon or formed as a part of the front extremitythereof, has the depressions formed therein in a manner opposite to thatof the ring 31, thus forming right and left hand clutch members adaptedto engage opposite sides of the balance wheel hub and transmit motiontherefrom to the crank arms 2'2 and 59. In this connection it is to beunderstood that the crank arm 59 is fixedly secured to or formed as apart of not engage the shaft 17, as it is mounted for the clutch member56 but does rotation with res ect thereto, so that the engaging of one cutch does not necessarily cause the actuation of both button ma-=chines.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that, although the clutchmechanism may be used in other relations, it is particularly adapted to,and of especial advantage in connection with, a button attachingmechanism comprising two machines arran ed side by side whereby buttonsof two dierent sizes may be quicklysecured to a garment and by anoperator without necessitating his change of position. The balance wheel18, is provided with an outer surface adapted to receive a driving belttherearound for the transmission of power to, and actuation of, eitherof the button machines.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is A clutch mechanismof the class described comprisi a shaft, a wheel mounted for freerotation thereon held against shifting and provided with a cylindricalrecess extending within the hub thereof, an annular wearing ring with asmooth cylindrical in nor surface disposed within said hub recess, aclutch member mounted for free rotation upon said shaft provided with areduced cylindrical end projecting within said hub recess and contactingwith the inner wall thereof, a wearing ring with external depressionsfixedly mounted upon the reduced extremity of said clutch member,rollers con= tained between said wearing rings and normally locatedwithin said depressions, said clutch member provided with anintermediate reduced cylindrical portion defining a ledge between thesame and the main body of the clutch member, a roller cage rotatablymounted upon said intermediate reduced portion held against shifting bythe above mentioned ledge and by contacting with the Signed atWaterbury, in the county New Haven and State of Connecticut, are

19th day of January. A l). 1915.

, FRANEIN E. wm'rn. Witnesses:

JULIA in 0mm,

KATHARINE A. Human.

